Slimmers reveal whether they feel compelled to weigh themselves constantly in the battle to shed pounds

IS THERE an obsession with weighing ourselves or is it better not to check? We ask three slimmers and an expert what they think.

TV presenter Carol Vorderman claims she hasn’t weighed herself in 12 years – since she last tried a detox diet.

Despite being in the public eye, the 51-year-old, who is famed for her enviable curves, says she isn’t interested in her shape and eats what she wants. “I haven’t weighed myself since I went on a detox at 39. I’d probably have the shock of my life,” she says.

Carol’s relaxed attitude to her weight is in stark contrast to many women who fret about their size on a daily basis and judge a good day and bad day around whether they’ve gained or lost a pound.

Here, three women tell us if they allow the scales to rule their lives or put more weight on how they feel...

Margaret, 52, from Newton Mearns

Margaret Kyle who has lost weight after taking part in Kettlercise classes

Margaret Kyle used to weigh herself every day – but, since losing three stone while training for a race, she hasn’t weighed herself in six months and is thinking of throwing away her scales.

Margaret, 52, from Newton Mearns, near Glasgow, ran a 10k to raise money for Cancer Research UK on the 20th anniversary of the death of her parents, Alex and Agnes, who died within six weeks of each other.

To get in shape, she took up Kettlercise – an exercise routine using a Kettlebell – and loved it so much she’s now become an instructor, alongside her other work in a finance office and in a care home.

She’s married to Jim, 53, who also works in finance and they have four children, Lindsey, 18, Steven, 20, Debbie, 22 and Leanne, 24.

Before taking up running in the summer of 2009 to train for the race, Margaret knew she’d been putting on the pounds.

“Back then I was around 11st 4lb. I’m 5ft 2in tall and was wearing size 14 clothes but they were tight. By the time of the race, I’d lost about a stone and was down to a size 12. When I realised I was losing weight I kept weighing myself every morning.”

She took up Kettlercise and then became an instructor. “I wanted to teach it because I knew it would keep me fit and help other people get fit,” she explained.

Her weight dipped to 7st 8lb and she went down to a size 6 – but she felt too thin, so ate more to get herself back up to 8st 10lb and a size 8.

“I stopped weighing myself when I got to 8st 10lb because that’s when I felt comfortable with my size,” she said.

“The battery on my scales went around six months ago, so I didn’t bother getting it replaced and haven’t weighed myself since.

“It’s not all about the weight, it’s how you view your body. It’s how you feel within yourself. It’s about being happy and comfortable in whatever size.

“I certainly don’t need the scales as long as I’m exercising.

“At first Jim thought I was losing too much weight. He probably prefers me a wee bit heavier but I’m comfortable where I am and that’s what matters. I feel so much better.”

The mum-of-two admits that she can be tempted by chocolate or a hot chocolate drink with cream. To check if she has over-indulged, she’ll get on the scales for proof.

“I’ve always regularly weighed myself. If I thought I’ve put on a few pounds I’d go on the scales and check.

“It wasn’t every week but it was regular. Then if I saw I’d put on weight I’d cut back straight away.”

Around three years ago, Linda, 45, who is 5ft 3in, was a size 12 with her weight fluctuating between 9st 7lb and 10st.

Then she decided to give up smoking because her health was suffering.

“I was really breathless and smoking was getting too expensive,” she said.

She’d been smoking up to 20 cigarettes a day but kicked the habit after her first session with Anne Penman Laser Therapy.

But then Linda, who is mum to Kerri, 22, and Stacey, 16, realised she’d started to replace her cigarettes with snacks.

“The weight gradually piled on. I picked up a pair of jeans and thought they’d shrunk,” she said.

Linda then weighed herself and got a shock. “I saw the arrow going up and I jumped off the scales before it went further than 11 stone. I think I was probably about 11st 7lb. I was a dress size 14/16 and knew I had to do something.”

Linda went back for laser therapy at the beginning of 2011 – this time to help her slim down and cut her cravings.

“Afterwards I just wasn’t hungry – it stopped whatever was making me crave junk food. I started eating healthier again, like I did before I’d quit smoking.

“Then I started to weigh myself more often again because I could start to feel my weight going down.

“Every week I’d check my weight, but sometimes the scales didn’t move and I’d feel a bit down. But I told myself I was still doing OK – as long as they didn’t go up.”

Linda got down to 10st 4lb, a size 12, and has taken up hill walking to exercise – but she admits she’ll still have treats.

Now she doesn’t weigh herself as often. But if her clothes start to feel tight, she’s straight back on the scales.

“If I’ve just eaten a load of rubbish I know it’s going to affect me – so the scales confirm what I know myself.

“I don’t think I’m obsessed with the scales. I don’t go on them as often as I did. It’s about how I feel and wanting to be healthy. I can see why Carol Vorderman doesn’t need the scales. I wish I had her waistline.”

Shop assistant Carol Miller still weighs herself every week – even after losing more than seven stone and dropping seven dress sizes. Carol, who works in George at Asda, is just over 5ft 1in and used to be a size 22, weighing in at 16st 7lb.

But after joining Scottish Slimmers in September last year, she dropped down to 9st 6lb and a dress size 8/10.

Carol, who is married to Ed, 47, and is mum to Craig, 17, and Iain, 21, had spent years yo-yo dieting – but decided she wanted to slim down before she hit 50.

“I never weighed myself because it would make me feel down. But I knew being heavy was affecting my health, so something had to be done. When I was first weighed at Scottish Slimmers, I was quite shocked because I’d been in denial.

“Then I’d get weighed at class every week. There was only one week where my weight stayed the same over the 10 months. Apart from that, every week I lost weight and that spurred me on. I started walking more often and that helped, too.

“I switched to healthy eating and realised I had to change my lifestyle. Ed changed with me and he’s lost more than three stone, too. I’m actually slimmer now than when we first met, thanks to exercise.”

Carol still goes to a Scottish Slimmers meeting every week.

“I think it makes me feel better to see the proof on the scales. This weight is perfect for me.

“Once you hit your 50s, it’s harder to lose weight. Instead of being frumpy and 50 I wanted to be fabulous and 50. Now I think I look at least 10 years younger.”

Scales can be helpful in tracking weight loss, but registered nutritionist Dr Carina Norris believes we shouldn’t forget about body shape and fitness if we want to get healthy.

Dunfermline-based Dr Norris said: “Scales have their place. They’re good if you want to chart your progress.

“But they should be used in conjunction with other things, like keeping track of your waist measurement and general fitness.

“If you’re on a diet, scales are very useful to gauge your progress, but if you’re like Carol Vorderman where you don’t need to lose weight, it’s probably better to pay more attention to the way you look, the way you feel and the way your clothes fit.”

She said some people can become fixated with weighing themselves – and the scales may not even give a true indication of a person’s health.

“A person’s waist-to-hip ratio is important because if your waist is big, it shows you’re storing fat around the middle, which can be dangerous for your heart. Weighing yourself doesn’t take into account where your body might be storing fat.”

She added that weight loss might also only indicate that a person is losing fluids, rather than fat.

And in some cases, people could actually be getting fitter and healthier but putting weight on.

She said: “If you’re exercising you could be losing fat but putting on weight through increased muscle mass.

“If you’re one of these people who doesn’t need to get on the scales, that’s great. Some people do get an unhealthy fixation with weighing themselves, but I can see a use for scales when trying to track progress.”